Grain-conveyer.



'PATENTED SEPT. 1,1903. J. MABUS & P. L. HAY.

GRAIN UONVEYER. I

APPLICATION FILED IEB. 11, 1003.

mvsuwuns JonnMABus,

ANK L.HAY, .77. Thur/0444 Ar'TY.

no MODEL WITNESSES 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVEN'IUES Jobm MABU s FRANK L. HAY;

JJrTMr/OM,

No. 737,643. 'PATENTED SEPT. 1, 1903.

J. MABUS & P. L. H'AY,

GRAIN OONVEYER.

APPLICATION FILED PER. 11, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

I'TNEEEEE lhvirnn STATES Patented September 1, 1903 JOHN MABUS AND FRANKL. I-IAY, OF LILLY, ILLINOIS.

GRAlN-CONVEYER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 737,643, datedSeptember 1, 1903.

Application filed February 1]., 1903. Serial No. 142,971. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN MABUS and FRANK L. HAY, citizens of thoUnitodStates, residing at Lilly, in the county of Tazewell and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inGrain-Conveyors; and we do horobydoclaro that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable othersskilled in the art to which it apportains to make and use the same.

This invention pertains to improvements in conveyors and elevators foruse in handling ear-corn and the liko-as, forinstanco, in conveyingear-corn to the corn-shellor or into bins.

The object of the invention primarily is to construct an improved runwayfor the chain which carries the grain.

Another and important object is to so con struct devices of this naturethat much less power will be necessary to operate them than in the olderforms.

Still another object is to provide a new chain-tightening arrangement.

In addition to these several objects the invention seeks to employa newconstruction and arrangement of various parts of the conveyor andelevator, all of which will be pointed out in the followingspecification and in the accompanying claims.

In the drawings hereunto annexed, Figure l is a side view of theelevator and conveyor. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion of theelevator and a portion of a conveyor attached thereto, this being on amuch larger scale than that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end view ofthe elevator where it joins the conveyor in Fig. 2. Fig. at isa partialview in perspective of the conveyor-chain and a drag used thereon. Fig.5 is a perspective View of the upper end of the elevator, showingattachments for connection with the swivel of the corn-shollingapparatus. Fig. 6 is a back view of a ratchet-bar and fastenings for thesame, all being shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of theelevator and conveyor portions shown in Fig. 2. Fig. Sis a cross-sectionof the bottom of the conveyorand elevator in part only, showing positionof the drag-chain thereon. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the rearsection of the conveyor, showneeds of these portions.

ing the chain-tightening apparatus. Fig. 10 is a cross-section of aportion of the side of the conveyor, showing a sliding block and shaftforming part of the chain-tightenor. Fig. 11 is a side view of theinterior of the elevator and conveyor where they join, showing amodified form of shoe for carrying the chain. Fig. 12 is a cross-sectionof a portion of the conveyor, showing the device in Fig. 11.

In the figures, A indicates the elevator, and B C D several sections ofconveyor connected therewith. All of these sections are madesubstantially alike and consist, as shown in Fig. 3, of the sides E E,having flaring sides on their top edges held by the angled brackets F orother good means. The said portions E are suitably held againstspreading-as, for instance, by means of braces similar to that shown atGin Fig. 3 and also by means of cleats H, secured to the bottom of suchport-ions, as inFig. 1. The said braces G are placed within the conveyorand elevator about in the position shown in Fig. 3 and may be placed atsuch intervals as best suited to the Upon these braces two boards I areplaced, each being placed against the sides, as shown in Fig. 3, leavinga space between their adjacent edges. The floor thus formed extendsthroughout the entire length of all the sections of the conveyor and upthe elevator. A shoot-iron covering of the form of cross-section shownat J in Figs. 3, 5, 7, and 8 covers the floor formed by I and extendsdown between them, as shown, thus forming trough or runway for thedragchain to be described. The several sections are connected togetherby means of interlocking plates K and L. The latter is merely a castingbolted to the conveyor, Fig. 2, and has a projecting lug M, which, asshown, has its center coincident with the end of such conveyor and alsowith the top of the floor I. (Shown in broken lines.) The plate K issimilar to L, except that in place of the lug M a forked projection isused which straddles the said lug M, as shown. A split pin N serves tokeep those portions locked together, but at the same time permits theparts to pivot on one another. The elevator, Fig. 2,-is provided withone of the plates K, which pivots on the plate L, as described, saidelevator being out off at an angle to permit it to be raised to theposition shown, or it may also lie flat, as indicated by the brokenlines.

At the upper end of the elevator is a shaft for carrying the chain. Suchshaft is provided with a sprocket-wheel P, so located with reference tothe bottom I that its top or periphery is about on a level with thetrough or runway formed by the sheet-iron covering J described. The saidshaft 0 is carried in suitable bearings and has a sprocket-wheel Qoutside the elevator, which receives a sprocket-chain R, running over asprocketwheel S on the corn-sheller shaft T, the latter serving to drivethe chain of the elevator, as in usual practice. To the elevator at eachside is secured a channeled plate Uin the region of the shaft 0, whileat the extreme end of such elevator is attached a somewhat similar plateV. As shown in Fig. 6, these plates are provided inside with adownwardly-extending lip WV, which acts as a lock to the teeth 2 of aratchet plate or bar 3. The free end of this bar is provided with a fork4 for straddling the shaft T of the sheller for bolding the elevator inposition for work, the said lips W of the plates U V serving as theadjustment for the sprocket-chain R, as will be more fully explainedpresently.

The end of the conveyor (shown in Fig. 9

and represented by D in Fig. 1) is provided with a chain-tightener,which may be understood from the-following: The sides E of the conveyerare slotted horizontally at 5, and plates 6, also slotted to correspond,are socured to such sides, as shown, and provided With the lips orflanges 7. WVithin the slots 5 are placed sliding blocks 8, which formbearings for and carry a shaft 9. These blocks have a flange at top andbottom, which slide between the flanges 7 of theplates 6 and the' sidesE, as shown plainly in Fig. 10, and serve as the means for guiding theblocks in their back'and-forth movements. The shaft 9 projects at eachside beyond the blocks and carries a sleeve or spool 11, to which issecured a cable 12, whose other end is wrapped around a drum 13 at eachend of a shaft 14, having bearings at the end of the conveyer within theplates 6, substantially as shown, though, as a matter of fact, otherarrangements may be used for carrying said shaft, as desired. The shaft14 described carries a ratchet-wheel 15 near each end, and a pawl 16above each serves to hold the shaft against movement at any desiredplace, as will be understood. A sprocket-wheel 17 on the shaft 9 carriesthe chain for moving the grain, and the use of the tightener in takingup the slack in said chain will be taken up later on. Since the saidchain must run horizontally through the conveyers and then move upwardthrough the elevator at an angle, some means must be provided forholding the chain down to its work at the junction of the elevator withthe conveyer-section B. To this end we provide, as shown in the severalfigures and more particularly in Fig. 7, what we term a shoe,

vezeaa .7

bottom portion I and sheet-metal covering J and overhang the runway, asshown. A machine-screw 19 is passed through the shoe and the portionsbeneath and is threaded into the metal brace G, Figs. 3 and 8, and byadjustment of such screw the shoe may be given any vertical adjustmentdesired to give a shorter or longer curve to the same. It will be seenthat since both ends of the shoe bear upon the bottom portions I themiddle part through which the screw passes will naturally tend to rise;but the screw holds it down, so that both ends are held firmly down. Asshown in Fig. 7, an approach is provided for guiding the chain to theshoe. This consists of a strip of thin metal 20, whose one end abutsagainst the shoe and the other pointed to a knife-edge and, if desired,thrust through an aperture in the covering J, so that there will be nohindrance to the free passage of the chain. The latter, as shown inFigs. 4 and 8, consists of links 21 of the ordinary form ofsprocket-link, having downwardly and outwardly projectinglugs 22 at themiddle of such link, and these lugs are designed to pass under theprojecting edge of the shoes 18 to prevent the chain rising at the pointof juncture of the elevator with the conveyer, as before explained.Every fifth or sixth link is provided with upwardly-extending cars 23,to which are bolted what we term drags, which are merely metal plates24, but one of which is shown. It will be seen that but one chain isemployed, the lugs 22 of which extend beneath the edges of the shoes, asclearly illustrated in Fig. 8. It will further be seen that bypermitting the ears 23 and drag-plate 24 to move along on the portion Jwhen reaching the strips they will rise upon it and pass along to theshoe and up over it without resistance. As illustrated in Fig. 7, saidstrips 20 also overhang the runway, and the lugs 22 pass thereunder, anda notch 25 in said strips allows the said lugs to drop below the saidoverhanging edge in case they have accidentally ridden over the top ofthe same at the start, such notches to be out back flush with the sideof such runway. By this means the chain will never meet with resistancein any way and at the same time will be held down to its work in aperfect manner, and we attach much value to this portion of myinvention.

In Figs. 11 and 12 is illustrated a form of shoe employed when a doublechain is used. In this case a chain is used at each side of the conveyerand elevator, the same being indicated by a a in Fig. 12. In this formalso a plain flat bottom b only is used, and

to the sides E are secured flexible shoes c,

under which the chains pass. Said shoes consist of the plates justmentioned, to each end of which is secured a bent pin (1, adapted toenter the eyes of the bolts 0, secured in the said sides E. Near themiddle of the plate, secured to the said sides E in pivotal manner, is adogf, one end of which bears down upon the shoe and the other end beingslotted to receive a boitg and nut h. By loosening the nut the dog maybe adjusted to depress or release the shoe, and the nut then on beingtightened holds the dog, and consequently the shoe, wherever desired.The chains are provided with upwardly-extending ears 1', to which thedrag-platej is secured.

The office of the ratchet-bars 3, in conjunction with thechain-tightener, will now be described. After placing said bars 3 uponthe support on the sheller'i. e., the shaft T- the sprocket-chain R isplaced upon the wheels Q and S. Then the elevator is drawn away from thesheller until the said chain is sufficiently tight to run properly, andthen the upper end of said elevator is permitted to drop, thus carryingthe lips W of the plates U and V into the notches of said bar 3 toengage the teeth of the latter. Now by turning the shaft 145 of thechain-tightener in a direction to wrap the cable 12 upon it the shaft 9,carrying the chain, is caused to move away from the shaft 0 at the topof the elevator, thereby taking up all slack in said chain. Then bymeans of the pawls 16 the shaft 14 is securely held against movement, asalso is the shaft- 9 as against backward shifting, which would loosenthe chain. A pin 26 in the rear end of the bars 3 prevents theirslipping out of the plates U, as shown in Figs. 5 and G.

In Fig. 2 the elevator-chain is indicated by broken lines, a portionthereof, however,

showing in full lines at the opening between the elevator and conveyer,and since some means must be provided for holding the chain as it runsbeneath the bottom I a roller 27 is provided at the extreme lower end ofthe elevator under which said chain passes, said roller being of such aform as to keep the chain in the middle of the conveyer, as indicated inFig. 3.

The advantage in the use of the plates K and L is that any number of thesections of conveyor may be connected together in a few moments, and thedrag-chain may be lengthened to correspond. Said plates form a firmconnection for these said sections and at the same time permit of easyand quick detachment. Another advantage of such plates is that since thepivots thereof are located just on a line with thejuncture of the bottomportion I I of the sections the latter maybe raised up or down as, forinstance, in the case of the elevator-section-without changing therelative positions of said portions I I.

The metal covering J covering the portions last mentioned prevents thecorn dropping through to the ground, although it is quite evident that aboard or metal covering could be attached to the bottom of I I and thesame end will be accomplished, since it is not desired to confineourselves to a stated structure in producing our device.

Having d escri'bed'our in vcntion, we clai III-- 1. In a conveyercomprising a plurality of sections to be detachably connected for thepurposes described, aplate L attached to one of the said sections at theend thereof, an outwardly-extending lug M the center of the same beinghorizontally in line with the top surface of the conveyer-bottom, and aplate K on the adjoining section of conveyer, a forked projection onsaid plate K for straddling the said lug M as shown and described, theopening of the fork beingin line horizontally with the end of theconveyerbottom to permit said conveyer-sections to pivot on the otherwithout separation of the said conveyer-bottoms as set forth.

2. In a conveyor and elevator section adapted to pivot one on the otherthe pivot-point being at the point of meeting of the adjacentsection-bottoms, a channel in the bottoms of each section for thepassage of the conveying-chain, and a flexible plate overhanging eachside of the channel for holding the chain in said channel, said platesecured to one of the sections and adjustable vertically thereon Whilemovable upon the other in its flexing by the pivotal movement of saidsections as set forth.

3. In a combined elevator and conveyer of' the character described, theformer adapted to pivot on the latter to incline it at any desiredangle, a bottom for each portion, the said bottom of each adjoining oneanother regardless of the angle of inclination, and consisting of twoseparated portions having a space between them substantially asdescribed, said space being closed at the bottomto form a channel forthe purposes set forth, and adjustable shoes secured to the bottomportions and projecting over the channel at each side, the same beingflexible and arranged to move with the elevator in the adjustmentthereof.

4. In a combined elevator and conveyer of the character described, thesides thereof abutting at their ends and pivoted together for thepurposes explained, a bottom for each comprising two separated portions,there being a space between such portions, such space being closed atthe bottom to form a channel, and flexible overhanging plates secured tothe said bottom portions for overhanging the said channel in combinationwith a drag-chain for such elevator and conveyer adapted to be held downby the passage thereof under the said overhanging plates substantiallyas described.

5. In a combined elevator and conveyer, the sides E of each, the bottomportions I I arranged substantially as described there being a spacebetween them, the sheet-metal covering J therefor to form a channel, thepivots on both the said elevator and conveyer the same arranged topermit the portions to pivot &

at the point of juncture of the bottom portions I I, and the flexibleplates 18 mounted upon the said portion I to overhang the channel asdescribed and extending Within the elevator and conveyer in bothdirections from the point of juncture of the said portions I incombination with the drag-chain adapted to pass partially under theprojecting edges of the said plates for the purposes explained, theplates adapted to flex with the movement of the elevator in being raisedor lowered.

6. In combination with a corn-sheller, the elevator, the drag-chaintherefor, a shaft at the head of the elevator for carrying said chain, asprocket-wheel on the outer end of said shaft,asprocket-wheel on thecorn-sheller, a sprocket-chain connecting the two wheels,adjusting-plates secured to the sides of the elevator, a ratchet-barhaving teeth for engaging the said plates the free ends of such barsadapted to engage with the corn-sheller all for the purposes set forthand described.

7. In an elevator, the drag-chain therefor, the shaft 0 and sprocket Pfor carrying the chain, the sprocket Q outside the elevator on the saidshaft 0, in combination with the shaft T of the corn sheller, thesprocket S thereon, the chain R for ,both sprockets, the ratchetbar 3adapted to engage the shaft of the sheller, said bar having the teeth 2,and the plates U and V secured to the sides of the elevator and withwhich the teeth of the said bar veyer, cables attached to the two shaftssubstantially as described, said cables adapted to be Wound on one ofthem to shift the other together with its slidable bearings and meansfor holding the winding-shaft stationary aftcr adjustment all for thepurposes explained.

9. In a combined elevator and conveyer of the character described, theshafts O and 9 located substantially as set forth, the dragchain forrunning over them, the movable bearing-blocks 8 for carrying said shaft9, the shaft 14, the cables 12 attached thereto, such cables being alsoattached tothe shaft 9 substantially as described,and the ratchet-Wheels15 on the shaft 14 together with the pawls 16 for holding said ratchetsand shaft 14 wherever placed for the purposes indicated.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN MABUS. FRANK L. HAY. Witnesses:

JOSEPH STOREY, CLAUDE OAsEY.

